The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1887-03-04
A MEAL FOR A CENT.

buuCh.
The correspondent had for some time
been cognizant of Il Juggling at his over
coat. Looking down in response to the
hail he saw u diminutive street arab.
with package of papers under his
arm, who repeated. when he found
that he had succeeded in attracting the
; reporters attention. won't yer Civ
; us cent, sir, for lunch?'
''You can't get lunch for cent"
said the reporter.
EYES," said he, pointing across Ann
street to little red booth; ''pork and
beans and coffee and big hunk of
bread"
'All for one cent?"
"Ce.t.: try it on yourself. if you
don't believe, or ask any of the fell
lers."
Handing the lad cent the reporter
stepped aside to note the result
"Hey. Pikey." said the recent appli-
cant as he went across the street ut
bound. ''ketchel another sucker
As the reporter had reason to believe
that he was the "sucker" referred to.
he determined to investigate and went
over to the booth. There was neatly
dressed man inside, and upon the visi-
tor placing cent on the counter and
, asking for lunch, the individual
handed out plate of pork and beans
and a cup of coffee, and what the gam
in had designated as hunk of bread.
In response to inquiries as to how it
was possible to supply so much for 50
little. the reporter was told to apply to
125 Madison street. Meanwhile large
number of youthful spectators had
crowded about the booth. The beans
were excellent, and the coffee better
than the average served in ordinary
restaurants. As the newsman turned
away the youngsters cried in chorus:
Elbow much did he Civ yer?'
In the next basement, 125 Madison
street, the visitor was courteously re-
,,eived by Mrs. Lamadrid. who is the
good Samaritan through whose exer-
tons this boon to the poor was estab-
lished. s''There is not much to tell"
was her reply to the reporters question.
The thing is not original at all. It
has been in operation and with much
success in London and it occurred &c
me that it might be made a success in
this city, where the need is very great
charge one cent for a satisfying meal,
simply for the reason that the recipient
may not feel that he is receiving char
ity. OF course it costs more than that,
but not much more. rs we systematic
it. Come out in the kitchen and I'll
show you"
She led the way to a rOOmy kitchen
in the rear. and here was 4 large kitchen
range on which were huge boilers filled
with coffee, an ample oven. from which
had just been withdrawn appetizinS
pans of pork and beans, while an at
tendant was just cutting up immense
lOaves of bread into the ..big hunks"
which had excited the admiration Of
the news-boy. "Itdoesn't cost much"
said Mrs. Lamadrid; every much less
than you might suppose"
'You are simply the almoner Of the
bounty of the charitable"
"NO. All that has been done have
done at my own expense. and l have
been able to plant stand ut Ann
street and Park Row. and one at Bay
ard street and the Bowery. If can get
permission from the Aldermen. will
have ten more stands on city property.
and maintain them all the year round.
giving the poor in summer oat meal
and milk, or rice, or something of that
kind"
Then You have no society at your
back. seeing the placarls st. Andrews
on the stands"
mo; / call it st. Andrews m account
of the eighth and tenth verses of the
sixth chapter of John, where Andrew
suggests the feeding of the multitude.
1 thought that would be good name
for it. l have no one with me. and
have had no one. If any one chooses
to assist in it. well be good friends,
but Mt present all ask is permission
from the authorities to put up my
stands on private property. Gentle
men have given me permission to erect
them on their grounds"
..Are you sure that you reach the
most deserving in this way? Is it not
probable that your charity will be taken
advantage of by those not worthy
Of it,"
ITO some extent, certainly. can't
help that. But at the same time l am
certain that no ono who needs meal
need go hungry. We have a great
many that come here, and think we
can generally tell from their manner
whether or not they are deserving. The
men we place in charge Of the stands
are discriminating, and so far as may
be. they see TO it that we reach the
class we aim to beneiit-the very poor.
At any rate. if we don't do much good,
we can't do any harm. My husband
calls it my hobby, but he is quite will
ing to indulge me in it. If You are go
ing to write any thing about it. say that
we don't expect impossibilities; we
have no idea Of abolishing all want in
u great city like this. but that while We
are aware that what we do will be a
mere drop in the bucket. We claim the
right to contribute that drop in this
way, and if all the charitable people
shall do the same to the extent of their
means, the city will be surely none the
worse for it.''-N. I. Cor. 81. Louis
Globe Democrat.